TOW #19: article - "Is Junk Food Really Cheaper?"

          Would you rather drive a minute and get a high-calorie low-nutrition hamburger from the nearest fast-food restaurant or drive fifteen minutes to a grocery store and buy ingredients to make a healthy meal? This question in the game of would you rather is one that many Americans are struggling to answer. In the New York Times article “Is Junk Food Really Cheaper?”, Mark Bittman discusses how the idea that fast-food is cheaper than a home-cooked meal is false.

            As an attempt to reach the general public of America, Bittman shows his interest in trying to change the perspective of America and showing them that fast-food is more expensive, unhealthy and is manipulating the culture of people living in this country. Bittman states that a meal for a family of four at McDonalds is much pricier than buying ingredients to a healthy meal. The author gets deeper into the problem of fast food: laziness and convenience.

            Bittman uses data and compare and contrast to get his point across to his audience. Data presented shows various things such as how inflation increased the price of fresh produce and decreased the price of soda to the cost of fast food meals versus healthy meals. This data proves to the audience that the real problem lies within each American. Fast food is changing the neurological wiring in Americans, making them have an addictive reaction to the food. The only way to change the habit is to change the American environment. Bittman also compares prices and nutrition to make a statement about how drastic the difference of eating can be.

            The author wrote this with the intention to show Americans that their preconceived ideas about the cost of fast food are wrong. Bittman wants to give his audience a call to action and tell them to make a change and spread the truth about fast food.